Happy Birthday Husband!

Today was Jamie's Birthday!

He is now 27.

We slept in until noon, and then went to Elegance, a little restaurant in town. It was awesome.

And then we watched "The King's Speech." Also awesome.

This is where he spent the majority of his day.

I was glad to give him some personal time, he doesn't get to play for fun nearly enough.  

This is his birthday loot, on the counter.

He got some pretty good cards.

Then we went out for dinner and drinks with Amanda, Joe, and Dan, and had a great time.  We went to the Slippery Noodle downtown, and they had some really awesome bands there tonight.

While he was playing guitar for several hours, I was painting. 

Results:

I've developed a newfound interest in painting, and I'm considering taking some art classes in the fall.

Not much else has happened in the past few weeks, other than we've been planning for our garden! As soon as school is out we are going to break ground.  Here is my (to scale) plan. I'm pretty proud of it.

It's going to be some work, but I am really excited about it.  I'm also working really hard to keep them organic, and we won't be using anything other than natural gardening techniques. I'm really looking forward to getting started!

In other household news, the chore chart is working even better than expected! Our house has been perpetually clean for about a week now. It's been so great. 

Probably won't be blogging much, if at all, for the next two weeks.  They will be the last two weeks of school, and I have about a million things to finish up.  

Keep me in your prayers, I'm going to need them. 

♥

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Jamie and I usually don't make a big deal out of Valentine's day, simply because it's not our style, but I have a feeling Jamie has something really big planned this year.

I am getting really, really excited for Saturday night. 

So, last night I made him these!

They are funfetti with Cherry icing!

He loves them!

And then today, I had a rough day. 

I went to lunch for my student teaching, and, in a bad, rough area of the city, (38th and Emerson, for those of you who are familiar with it), 45 minutes from my house, I locked my keys in my car.

Yep. Seriously.

Luckly, one of the teachers from the school also went to lunch there, and he and another patron of that Subway were able to get it open with a wire hanger. 

Yeah, I was definitely thanking God for that one. 

And, some of the stories of where the kids in my class come from, what they have been through, and how much they are struggling were just really, really wearing on me. By the end of the day, I was an emotional wreck. (yes, part of that is from only having 4 hours of sleep. But still)

After school, I went to my parent's house, and we went out for my mom's birthday!

(Since it is after midnight, I guess her birthday was technically yesterday, but oh well.) 

We went to their favorite sushi house, and they ate sushi, and I ate hibachi chicken.  

My stepdad told the workers that it was her birthday, and this is what happened:

hahaha, good thing she is a good sport! My stepdad loved it. =)

Then, when I got home, this is what was waiting for me:

I love my husband. 

These seriously made me smile so big. 

Despite all of the bad things, today was a good day because it reminded me of just how lucky I am to have such wonderful people to call family.

I feel blessed.

♥

Eventful Weekend

Well Hello there.

Much has happened since my last post. 

I guess I will go chronologically, since that seems like the most logical way to do it. 

So, here we go.

I had mentioned in my last post that we were going to Wal-mart at midnight for my $9 tupperware, and that was the only Black Friday shopping that we were going to do.

Well, I was half right. 

We got to Wal-mart at midnight, and there was literally no place to park. Jamie dropped me off, and I ran though the store, under the caution tape, through the clothes department, and grabbed the tupperware.

Then, I went back the same way (yes, back under the caution tape) and got in line.

I was way excited.

This is me in line at midnight. You can see a glimpse of the madness behind me.

Well, while I was waiting in line, Jamie noticed a Blu-ray player. For only $70. But...not until 5 AM.

I said "Yeah Right." 

He said "No, we can wake back up and come."

I said "Sure babe, I'll come with you."

Now, let me clarify that I only said "sure" because Jamie is the worst person that I have ever met about getting up for things. Sometimes I literally have to drag him out of bed for important things, like work and school. So, in saying yes, I did so with the knowledge that when his alarm went off at 4:30 AM, he would just shut it off and go back to sleep. 

Problem solved.

So I'm sure you can imagine my shock and horror when the lights flipped on at 4:30 AM, and he hopped out of bed, and said "Come on!"

So, unable to go back on my word, I got up, and we drove to Wal-mart and bought a Blu-ray player.

It sucked.

Then we went home, back to bed, and both got up for work at 9 AM. 

Gross.

That Friday evening, though, after a gruesomely long day of work, my mom took me to Keystone mall, and to Teavana, and bought me a new really cute tea tin, 2 oz. of Ayurvedic Chai White Tea (thanks, Misty,) and 2 teacups for my birthday! She's so sweet.

Afterwards, we went to Beni Hana, and we had a glorious, amazing, delicious dinner.

It was nice to spend time with her.

And then Saturday morning, Jamie was sick.

Again.

He stayed in bed all day, nauseous, and had to miss Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family, which is his favorite. 

So, he was bummed about that, and so was I.

But, my mom made me an amazing coconut birthday cake, because it's my favorite!

It was so delicious!

And then on Sunday morning, I let Jamie sleep, because he hadn't been feeling well.

And then when he got up, and was feeling better, we decided to be productive and go Christmas Shopping!

So, we started at Mass Ave, then went to Keystone Mall, then to Michigan Rd, and then back to 3 places in Brownsburg!

We shopped ALL day.

It was exhausting.

But, at the end of the day, it was really exciting, because we got all but 3 presents!

That's amazing for two huge procrastinators.  I was proud of us.

But then we got home, and realized that since we haven't done our christmas decorating yet, there was no where to put the presents. 

Oops.

So, here is where they are for now. 

Poor Jamie has had to significantly reduce his homework space.

We should be fixing this sometime this week, though.

And, we got Minnie a cute new Christmas Sweater, and Emma a Kitty Condo. 

They are both so cute!

But, then the day turned bad.
Really bad.
I started having really bad heartburn. I don't ever have heartburn, but I just assumed that's what it had to be.  I had an intense, burning pain from my stomach, behind my sternum, to about my collarbones. I just decided to try and sleep it off, and hope it was better in the morning.
Then, at 3:30 AM Monday morning, I woke up in serious pain. It hurt so bad behind my sternum that it was hard for me to breathe, especially deep breaths or yawns, and my shoulders hurt, and BOTH my arms were tingly and numb all the way down to my fingers.
I was concerned, but I've never been one to just rush to the hospital for every little thing.
So, I called a 24-hour immediate care hotline, and described my symptoms to a nurse.
And she told me to go to the ER.

So, Jamie drove me to to ER, and we got there about 4 AM Monday.
I was concerned about my heart, but they did an EKG, and ruled that it definitely wasn't that.
Which was a relief.
They also did a Chest X-ray, took blood twice (and missed once,) and did an ultrasound of my internal organs.

It was a rough 5 hours.
Finally, around 9:30 AM, the nurse comes in and tells me that it was a severe acid reflux episode, and that they are prescribing me Prilosec.
But, they still couldn't tell me why my arms went numb.
Which is weird.
But, I guess I should just be thankful that nothing major was wrong, and they've given me a clean bill of health, other than acid reflux.
It just sucks that we had to spend 5 hours in the ER to do that.

I will say that I am so very overwhelmed by my husbands love for me.
He spent 5 hours laying across 2 wooden chairs in a 4 foot wide space to be with me.
Even though it totally de-railed his Monday.
I am so appreciative of that.

So, finally after all of that, this week has gotten back to normal.
and by normal, I mean crazy busy.
I have two major homework assignments due within a week of each other.
And by major, I mean can decide by themselves whether I pass or fail this semester.
So, I am going to focus in on that for a while.
Just saying.
I will be glad when school is over, and I don't have to be a lonely, homework driven, hermit.
Seriously.
♥

"You're just to good to be true..."

I had an awesome birthday at Howl at the Moon last night!

Guess who got called on stage and serenaded for her birthday?

Yup. This girl.  

It was awesome. I requested "Can't take my eyes off of you" by Frankie Valli, and wrote on the request that it was my birthday.

He said "This is too good of a song to not sing to someone. Julie, come on up!"

It was seriously cool.

Today was Thanksgiving, and it was actually really good.

We went to Jamie's aunt and uncle's in Rockville, and then back to my grandparent's in Jamestown.

Despite the crazy running around (and the fact that I was not feeling so great for the first half of the day), it all went really well. 

It was the first holiday that I have really enjoyed in a while.

And now Jamie and I are hanging out and watching Avatar for the first time. 

At midnight, I am going to Walmart, because they have a 40-piece set of rubbermaid tupperware for $9.

Woah.

I have to have it.

But, that's the only real Black Friday shopping that I am doing.

Oh yeah, except that after work tomorrow, my mom is taking me to Teavana for my birthday.

Excited!

Oh, and I forgot to mention yesterday what Jamie gave me for my present.

I have been sponsoring a little girl named Rosa through Compassion International since I was 16.  

She is a (now) 10 year old girl, who lives with her grandmother in poverty in Equador. Her parents were never married, and her grandmother is only employed seasonally.

I can honestly say that it is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

Compassion is a Christian program,  that not only gives good food, medical care, and education to over 1 million children in 26 countries, but it also gives them Christian teaching, Bible education, and teaches them to love God.  One of the coolest things about compassion is that you get to send and receive letters from your child, and they tell you about their lives, and ask about yours.  You can send pictures, stickers, coloring pages, and anything that will fit into a flat envelope. 

Rosa often sends me letters telling me that she is really trying in school. I love that, because I know that even though she may not be the best student, because of me, she is trying, and has opportunities to succeed.

Well, for my birthday, Jamie agreed that we could take on a second child.  I have been wanting it for a while, but the finances just weren't there. But, now that I am working more, we are able to do it. So, yesterday, I chose a little boy named Emmanuel.

He is 3, and lives in an AIDS affected area of Kenya.  He lives with his mother and one sibling, and his father is deceased.  I am not sure if it is because of AIDS or war, but I am so excited to give him a chance to learn about God, and provide solid meals, medical care, and an education to him.  I felt that his name was so very fitting, because it is God that has given me the ability to help him.

I am so happy to be his sponsor, and I am so excited to get his packet of information, and be able to send him a letter and pictures.

I have to say, it's been a really great couple of days.

I will leave you with a link to Compassion, in case you want to check it out.

♥

Happy Birthday to me!!

I enjoy this video. It makes me smile. 

I've had a good couple of days.

Yesterday was the last day for us to be in the classroom at ABE.

These are some of the cards that the students gave me at the end.

They are so awesome!

They really make me smile, 

and remind me why I am killing myself to get this degree.

I'm just taking it easy today.

Jamie and I spent the morning together, laying in bed until 10:30,

and then he took me shopping!

It was really fun!

I got a new gorgeous winter coat, 

and some boots, which I desperately needed,

because all I have are my flats, and my feet have been freezing.

He's at work now, so I am just hanging out, taking it easy, which believe me, is a gift for me.

Tonight, my friend Emily and I are going to Olive Garden (YUM) and then she won a party at Howl, so we are going there tonight, and then Jamie is meeting us out!

I'm excited.

And tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which will be nice as well.  

And my mom is making me a coconut cream pie for my birthday on Thanksgiving!!

Best present ever, because Jamie doesn't like coconut,

and I love it, 

so I never get it.

Well, i am going back to my relaxing, 

so I will leave you with my method of waking Jamie up this morning.

It's called the "Minnie Mouse Wake-up call."

And, Emma helped.

Pretty awesome, and effective. =)

♥

I'll be there....

Listening to "I'll be there" by the Jackson 5.

Oh little Michael, what happened to you?

Love this song.

Got up and made Jamie and I pancakes this morning. 

It was so nice, we never get to do stuff like that anymore. 

Then we did homework.

I am really proud of myself, I got a lot done.

Then when he got back from class, I made us lunch.  

Lemon Chicken, 1/2 a baked potato, italian bread, and a spinach and strawberry salad.

It was great.

Oh, here's my dilemma of the day.
How do you tell your mother-in-law that she has the wrong date for your birthday?
I got a happy birthday phone call this morning, and a message saying she had a present for me.
My birthday isn't for another 5 days.
So, how do I tell her that without sounding totally ungrateful? Because I really do appreciate the thought, and that she took the time to call me and everything.
I am considering taking the cowards way out and letting her think that today is my birthday for the rest of my life.

Now that Jamie is at work, I am finishing off my meal with the best dessert in the whole wide world!

Turtle Trails Dairy-free ice cream.

It is unbelievably delicious.

And has a ridiculously small amount of calories compared to regular ice cream.

Yum.

I had a really horrible day at school yesterday.

To make a long story short,

Our classroom teacher vetoed our lesson plan on forensic footprint/shoeprint analysis that I spent 3 hours and $20 creating 10 minutes before we were supposed to teach it, because she typed "footprint analysis" into Google, and it brought up stuff that could possibly lead to evolution.

Seriously.

So, my group and my instructor stood up for me, and said that they thought that was ridiculous, it had nothing to do with that, and I got so frustrated and upset that I started crying.

It really, really sucked.

So, Emily, Amanda and I went out to the Japanese steakhouse in Avon to make ourselves feel better, and then came back to my house and drank wine. 

It was a really great ending to a really horrible day.

So blessed to have those girls in my life.

Have a busy day tomorrow! 

Working 9-3, and then to Matt and Emily's wedding at 4:30!

Super excited that they are getting married tomorrow, I love those two.

They are going to do great things for God together.

Then, Jamie and I are going to The Melting Pot that night, to celebrate my birthday!!

So super excited about that.

The Melting Pot is my absolute favorite.

Well, have to go get ready for work soon, I work 4-11, and then have a meeting at midnight (yuck.)

But, I wanted to mention one more thing:

Today would have been my dad's 50th birthday.

I've been kind of bummed about it all week, but I'm really doing okay today.

Been thinking about all of the good times.

And listening to a lot of Beach Boys. They always make me think about him and smile.

Happy birthday, daddy.

Daddy holding me in my strawberry bikini when I was 1. One of my favorite pictures.

Wish you were here so we could celebrate it.

Miss you.

I love you.

♥